In addition to helping in our secret special project, Andrew and Sue from Basically Wooden, which is a Hereford based company making high quality board game accessories, from organisers to full boxes to card and token holders to make your life easier. They really care about their product and are wonderful people.

They have offered not 1 but 3 dice towers, a pair of card trays and token holders which clip together (magnets) and one of the latest products a combined card and token holder, scooped for easy access and some where to play your hand of cards for easy viewing and access. Perfect for those with mobility issues or dyspraxics like me who end up with hand fatigue. (The photo shows a built one which is mine, two flat packed ones are actually included)

These accessories really help keeping games flowing, the card holders can serve as a great first player marker as you pass the deck of event cards and you place it on the table with a satisfying clunk.

That’s not all. They have also provided a £25 gift voucher which covers most of their game inserts and accessories.

There are great items, but can be a luxury so this is a perfect chance to make your gaming betterer.

Please please share the event and my posts we need all the publicity we can get, our prize pool is worth well over £1000 and we’ve had nearly £1000 of free services.

One month to go! The last three events raised £500 and we are on target to double that this year with your help. It is a great cause and will be a nice day out. 100% of proceeds go to charity with all costs met by donations or the club members.

New gamers can be introduced to the wonderful world of gaming and maybe meet new friends and discover a new hobby.

Established gamers can enjoy 12 hours of relaxed gaming with a large games library to enjoy as well as friendly teachers to introduce them to new gamers.

Families can enjoy games together or play separate games in a safe environment.

There will be raffles, auctions, cake stall as well as onsite café. There will be side events in the form of giant Tsuro and … **redacted** as well as informal quizzes to enjoy.

The Core is wheel chair accessible, spacious and well lit so it should be a great day out for a great cause.

Please share the event if you can (and like this post), Facebook controls and limits what is seen so sharing is key. Also do drag your friends along it is a great event, great cause and should be good fun for all.

There is no perfect answer to this but the following tips, should create a welcome friendly environment. Everyone likes to know the lie of the land, the basic rules and what to expect but more so if you have anxiety, autistic tendencies or a number of other issues.
So double check and make sure everything is clear even down to signage and drinks options. Set and manage expectations

Step one: Prepare: Advertise and set expectations

1) Advertise, find your players but clearly set expectations of the kind of games being played, what games are provided, are their teachers?
2) Is there a cost to the event
2). Where, when, what food and drink is available what is the cost?
3) Take requests for games and ask if people are bringing games to teach.
4) Send out rules videos or lists of the games being played so people can research
5) Include photos of the venue and gaming space. including accessibility information, stairs, lifts disabled toilets
6) Provide a map to the venue including parking information
7) Provide a second private channel for information and feedback. (Messenger) to answer questions before the event
8) Provide photos of the organizers
9) Provide photos of previous events to help set expectations.

Step two: The night: Ensure a friendly welcome atmosphere

1) Ensure the venue is well signed so you are easy to find. I include A4 laminated signed the whole way
2) Friendly greeter to welcome all guests to assign them to an appropriate game and game teacher.
3) An appropriate game is dependent on the gamer but be aware of:
a. overly competitive games,
b. overall complex games for new games.
c. games which are too extrovert or social and / or involve lying and bluffing.
d. Game which rules change too much, having known and controlled rules can be more comfortable.
4) The game teacher should be patient but also enthusiastic and welcoming
5) Ensure the venue has appropriate lighting,
6) Enough space between the gaming tables.
7) Control the noise including reducing or eliminating background music (Provide space between games helps with this, we also separate the louder social games and the more thoughtful euro games).
8) Be patient and tolerant, gamers with additional needs may be harder to please, may not react to social cues.
9) Ensure staff are identifiable. (Even having a different colour lanyard or badge would do)
10) Name stickers or name tags for all guests removes the pressure of asking or remembering names.
11) Provide a quiet or quieter space for people to unwind or decompress.
12) Include a flag or player match making system to make finding gamers easier if you don’t have an active host arranging this.

Step three: The growth

1) Grow and nurture the culture to be friendly, inclusive and welcoming.
2) Ask for feedback
3) Allow volunteers to step up and be involved. (Ownership of tasks and feeling of belonging)
4) Do not take rejection personally, even with perfect planning you cannot please everyone. Doubly so if people have additional issues.

This is not a once size fits all guide everyone is different and i am a gamer with an interest in inclusivity and making sure everyone has a good time not a medical professional. Hopefully these tips will help, they are mostly obvious.

It is also worth considering, players with vision issues including colour blindness, picking game carefully, marking up components, swapping components out or just helping to read public or open text.